Non-bailable arrest warrant issued for Musharraf

If Musharraf fails to appear on 31 March hearing, he will be arrested on 31st March.

ISLAMABAD-

The special court constituted to try former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf in treason case on Friday issued his non-bailable arrest warrant.

The ruling was announced by the special court registrar Abdul Ghani Soomro.

Court registrar Abdul Ghani Soomro says the court on Friday also directed the government to ensure Musharraf’s safety when he travels to the court from a hospital, where he has been treated since January.

The ruling added that if the accused refuses to appear in the court hearing, he will arrested by the authorities on March 31.

The court was adjourned till March 20.

Earlier today, the counsel of Musharraf, Anwar Mansoor filed a petition seeking his client’s exemption from appearance in the court.

The three-member bench, headed by Justice Faisal Arab, was hearing the case here.

Mansoor said that the security personnel’s deployed for Musharraf’s security were being background checked and it would take six to eight weeks to complete the process.

He said that his client would appear in the court after completion of screening of the security staff.

Musharraf would come to the court only after the assurance of the security, he added.

Prosecutor Akram Sheikh said Musharraf’s absence from hearings was an attempt to disrupt court proceedings.

Justice Arab remarked that if Musharraf did not appear for the hearing, his lawyer would be indicted instead.

Prosecutor Akram Sheikh said the accused was attempting to disrupt court proceedings with his absence in the trial hearings.

Justice Arab remarked that if Musharraf did not appear for the hearing, the court would indict his lawyer.

The court reserved its ruling on Musharraf’s indictment and announced the issuance of the non-bailable arrest warrants at 1: 30 pm today.

Earlier today, the Islamabad SP security Chaudhry Ashfaque arrived at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) for escorting Musharraf to the court.

Special security arrangements had been made along the route from Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) to the special court.

On Thursday, the special court had adjourned the hearing until today.

The order issued for indicting him on March 14 stood intact, added the court.

The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had briefed the court on possible threats to the former dictator’s life.

The legal proceedings in Musharraf’s high treason case started in December but the former general has only appeared once in court since then and still has not been formally charged.

The treason case stems from Musharraf’s 2007 decision declaring a state of emergency and firing judges.